Page 56 of Before the Night Falls
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When Olivia finished her call with Lyle, she left a message for Special Agent Harris to call her back. Then she checked in with Deb. She mostly kept the conversation professional. There was no need to stir up unnecessary drama.
Before they got off the phone Deb’s voice morphed from serious to playful.
“Not to change the subject or be insensitive, but on a lighter note, you and Tyson Stone have some great chemistry together.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Everyone at the office has watched the raw video footage. We have our own little soap opera playing out before our eyes. You guys would be great together. We’re rooting for you.”
Olivia rolled her eyes as she pictured the scene. “Which parts are you talking about anyway?”
“The one where he throws you into the pool, for starters.”
“Chandler and Wes sent that to you?” Olivia would have to talk to them about that later. “I’ll admit Tyson has surprised me. He’s actually really impressive. But there’s nothing going on between us. Tyson has his life, and I have mine.”
“Okay, sure. If you say so . . . I also saw that article that came out about you two. That’s great publicity for your series. The publiclovespossible romances between celebrities.”
“Well, I’m afraid our ‘possible romance’ will disappoint them.” Tyson was entirely too focused on his career to date, and Olivia had no interest either. She had too much baggage.
Not to mention a possible serial killer coming back to haunt her.
She ended the call, still shaking her head at the strange clash of emotions going on inside her.
Fear of what was happening. Intrigue over Tyson.
Both things left her feeling off-balance.
She had to get a grip and keep her guard up. Leaving herself vulnerable right now would be the worst thing she could do.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
The next day,Tyson glanced at his watch, noting it was almost time for the interviews to begin.
He’d invited three of his most successful clients to come showcase their results for Olivia’s segment. Their transformations weren’t just physical—they represented the holistic approach to health he always emphasized in his program.
As he finished setting up the outdoor area for the post-interview cookout, he spotted Olivia coming down the stairs. His heart skipped a beat.
But when he noticed that she seemed pale, he sobered.
She’d been through so much.
“The crew’s all set up in the living room,” he told her as she drew near. “Heather, William, and Tonya should be here any minute.”
“Perfect. I’m actually looking forward to this.”
Tyson smiled at the admission. “You sound surprised.”
“Let’s just say I didn’t expect to become a convert to healthy living quite so quickly.”
The doorbell rang before he could respond, and the day was set into motion.
The interviews went smoothly—each guest sharing their journey with honesty and enthusiasm that Tyson knew would resonate with viewers.
He found himself watching Olivia as much as his clients, noting how skillfully she drew out their stories, making connections that even he hadn’t considered before. Olivia’s earlier trauma seemed to be forgotten—but he knew it was never that easy.
After filming wrapped, Tyson fired up the grill, arranging salmon steaks and vegetable kabobs. The mood lightened as they moved from formal interviews to casual conversation. Laughter drifted across the patio as Heather recounted her first disastrous attempt at making one of Tyson’s protein smoothies.
